2021 was a defining year for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Not only did they share their truth in a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, but they also welcomed a new child. The couple created so many new memories, and these were the most unforgettable ones.
On March 7, Harry and Meghan sat down for a revealing interview with Oprah Winfrey. At length, they explained their decision to step down as senior members of the royal family, and also revealed a royal had raised uncomfortable questions about their first child’s skin color.
In the U.K., British followers of the royal family slammed the couple for severely damaging the Palace’s reputation by painting them as a racist institution. The Palace also issued a response, which clearly indicated they were not happy with the interview.
Their daughter, Lilibet “Lili” Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, was born on June 4, making their son Archie an older brother. Lilibet’s first name was inspired by Queen Elizabeth II, whose family nickname is Lilibet. Meanwhile, Lilibet’s middle name was a nod to Princess Diana.
In August, Harry announced his decision to donate $1.5 million of the proceeds from his forthcoming memoir to benefit children in Africa affected by HIV and AIDS. It was a particularly meaningful gesture seeing as his late mother, Princess Diana, cared deeply about the cause.
In a truly iconic couple moment, Harry and Meghan stunned on the cover of TIME’s annual “Most Influential People” issue, landing a spot among 99 other notable individuals. The outlet praised their humanitarian efforts, plus their decision to found Archewell, their nonprofit.
Harry and Meghan appeared onstage at the 2021 Global Citizen Festival in NYC to preach the importance of vaccine equity. “While in this country and many others you can go almost anywhere and get vaccinated, billions of people around the world cannot," Meghan said.
Harry and Meghan made their first joint trip to NYC since 2018 when they visited One World Trade in September. The couple paid their respects to those who lost their lives in 9/11, and posed for photos with New York Governor Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
Meghan appeared on The Ellen Show on Nov. 18 to promote her new children’s book, The Bench. She also blessed fans with a hilarious hidden camera prank, plus details about her children’s Halloween costumes.
Royal fans were finally treated to a glimpse of baby Lilibet when Harry and Meghan shared their family Christmas card on Dec. 23. They were all smiles in their first official photo as a family of four.
After enduring endless harassment from British tabloids, Meghan filed a lawsuit in 2019 against the Mail on Sunday’s publisher, Associated Newspapers. On Dec. 2, 2021, she finally saw victory, and was even issued a front-page apology from Mail on Sunday.